The Clockwork Princess

17. The Princess and the flyboy back in prison

Image Turing fairies (impression)

'I've failed' the clockwork Princess said. Fly-boy looked on but with his hands tied and all the rope wrapped round him, he couldn't say a word.

'I failed to rescue the Princess, I've failed mummy and daddy, well the King and Queen. No one is going to make me real now' the Princess moped.

'Now what makes you say that?' said the voice coming up to them.

There in-front of the Princess sat a fairy. To be honest it was the biggest ugliest fairy you could ever hope to meet. This fairy was ugly enough to give a troll trouble in an ugly creature contest. Old and ugly enough to be your dad in a dress, with long hair and wings but still a fairy and your dad. The fairy made the air move in that special magic way of that only fairies were able to do.

'Who are you?' the Princess asked her eyes widening.

'I'm Glenda the Turing fairy.' said the fairy in a friendly voice. 'I think your wondering what I'm doing here aren't you?'

'Yes, yes I am' said the Princess

'I'm a prisoner like you' Glenda said. 'Cagliari caught me and my six sisters' the fairy was very small little more than a hand high. She sat tided up like the Princess with thread for rope.

'What does he want with you?' the rat asked.

'He wants us to change his mechanical dolls into real people. Your wondering why he wants that?' the fairy asked 'because while the Queen likes his books no one else buys them. He always wanted to be a famous author so he is making an army of fans to go out and buy this books'.

'Can you make them real? Could you really make me real?' asked the Princess her face lifting up.

'No' said the fairy.

Before the Princess could start crying the fairy continued.

'Because your already ARE real' she added.

'No, I'm not I'm made of clockwork' said the Princess

'Being made of clockwork doesn't stop you from being real' said the fairy.

'but my memories are just made up from the book of Faces'

'No one has a perfect memory either. Flying-boy do you remember what you had to eat last year this day last year?'

Flying-boy shook his head.

'He's still real is he not?' the fairy said. ' So why were you crying before?' the fairy asked.

'Because I got everyone into this. It's all my fault. I'm just so sorry' said the Princess.

'You see, there you go, you got everyone here. They are your friends and they came with you. Your sorry for what you did and your going to figure, a away out. There has to be a you inside to make all this happen that makes you real.' the fairy said.

'The fairy is right, your highness' added the rat 'you are what you do, not what you remember'.

'So what are you going to do?' the fairy asked.

'Glenda, can you do any other magic than making things into real people?'

'I can make your nose grow when you lie, that's about it' the fairy said.

'hmm not terrifically useful, but I have an idea.' said the Princess 'Dr Rat – ask your self one question. Do you feel hungry?'